Top Ten Tips To Win The Big Book Prize

By West Africa Cooks, 7 May, 2016

Do not summit your entry until you have read this blog post. Here we offer you tips, tricks and ideas to boost your chances of winning this competition. With the prize of a feature in red magazine a book deal with HarperCollins and £10,000 at stake it is worthwhile thinking about what is required to win. See Red competition page if you have not done so.

Read How To Win A Cookbook Deal, £10,000 And Recipe Feature In Red

Here Are Our Top Ten Tips to Winning The Competition

  1. I recommend that you buy the magazine Red. Check out the Red Online magazine too
  2. Visit our recipe pages for inspiration, but note your recipes must be yours
  3. Follow the African bloggers online. See what is trending
  4. Use the magic foodie words see below, use contrast (sweet and bitter), use the power of three in your sentences, descriptions and notes
  5. Food presentation is important. Take your pictures in the best of light on plates or platters that make you meal look marvelous, hire a professional if you can do this
  6. Think about what pairs well with your cuisine it is other dishes, drinks etc, explain why
  7. What helps a book sell? The jacket or cover image, reviews, title, author and price. What would your book be like, think about and try to answer these questions
  8. Think about the bottom line. This is business, money and hard work, you have to impress the judges with your organisation, variety and ability to sell yourself and your country's cuisine. It's your cook book, it represent you, your country and the African continent
  9. Tell the African story behind your cuisine, use the language then explain, tell us why is works, the nutritional value, the culture behind the dish, the markets where you buy food, religious significance and or African heritage fable
  10. Think long term. There is a demand for African food so if you do not win or you can't submit the recipes now then get ready by making the next chance yourself. There are over fifty countries on the African continent, millions of people yet few cooking books, get the marketing right and your idea will sell

Also read Three Reasons Why You Should Document Your Recipes

Magic Foodie Words

delicious
enticing
delight
healthy
easy
relish
traditional
indulgent
love
enjoy
share
family
friends
entertain
flavour
tasty
nutritional
texture
colour
lively
feast
complex
taste (salty, bitter, sweet, acidic, fruity, dry)

If you have an other ideas or a cheat sheet of how to write a great cook book please share on social media #cookafrican

Also read Writing, Publishing And African Cook Books

Finally support your fellow African and Caribbean foodies, network and share your ideas. There is lots of space for African chefs, supperclubs and popup stalls since the market share is under represented. A long term vision is required by talented African foodie entrepreneurs and businesses.

Keep the focus long term and good luck!

Leslie
West Africa Cooks
Editor

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